Spider-X: A Spider-Man Story

Chapter 4: F.E.A.S.T.

At first, Peter thinks he's back in his bed at home. Not the shoebox apartment by Rockefeller center with leaky pipes and dim lighting. He thinks he's back in his and May's apartment.

His bed is soft and he can hear whispering voices in another room. He stretches his arms above the threadbare blanket and blinks his eyes open to meet a pair of smaller ones.

It all comes back. He's not home, he's not even in his universe. He's sleeping on a borrowed bed in this universe's FEAST. And the eyes beside him aren't Aunt May or Happy or MJ, they belong to a child, maybe eight years old, with stringy black hair and curious brown eyes.

"Hi," he says.

The little girl squeaks and ducks under his bed. Peter grins a little bit. "I could have sworn there was someone in here..." he pitches his voice up so she can hear him. He can hear her quiet giggle. "Is it a monster?" More giggles. "I wonder where it went..." more giggles, now it sounds like she's stifling them. "I guess I'll just have to... check!" At the last word, he peers under his bed and the little girl squeals and runs out from under it, laughing.

Peter laughs and scoops her up and tickles her sides. "Is it a tickle monster?!"

She squeals out her laughs until Peter hears an older voice from the other room calling 'Angela'. Peter assumes the little girl is Angela and sets her down to run back to her mother as the woman walks in the doorway.

Just like in his FEAST, there are no doors to separate the sleeping rooms, just doorways. It makes it safer for the people sleeping. There are three big rooms filled with bunk beds and a fourth large cafeteria that serves one hot meal a day. Other than that, there's just the reception area.

The little girl jumps into her mom's arms. "I was a tickle monster, mommy!"

"Terrorizing our residents, are you?" The woman looks to be early thirties, Hispanic, with a kind face. She looks at her daughter with love, but when she shifts her gaze to Peter, it narrows suspiciously. "You must be new," she says to Peter.

Peter holds out a hand for her to shake. "Peter ma'am. Parker."

Whatever she sees in Peter's eyes must assuage her suspicions because she gives him a smile and relaxes just a hair. Peter can't blame her. She finds her daughter playing with a strange man off the street, there's bound to be suspicions.

The little girl, Angela, wiggles out of her mom's arms and latches on to Peter's leg. "I'm Angela," she says sweetly, gripping his leg tightly.

"It's very nice to meet you, Angela," Peter tilts his head down to speak to her. She's cute.

"Come on, Pete, let's get you some breakfast," Angela's mom starts heading to the cafeteria.

"Oh, you don't have to-" Peter starts but the woman holds up a hand.

"Entertaining Angie earns you a granola bar. Come on, kid, you look like you need it." Her expression is soft.

Peter accepts with a smile. There aren't too many people willing to help Peter, in this world or the last, so it's nice when someone does extend a hand. Peter follows her, making wide, high circles with the leg Angela is on, to her delight. She laughs and squeals as Peter pretends to struggle, dragging his leg and making a show of the effort. "I'm feeling some resistance..." he says dramatically.

"Angela, please get off Peter's leg," her mother chides, annoyance in her tone.

Angela pouts and hugs Peter's leg tighter.

Peter looks down at the little girl, "we better listen to your mom." He picks her off his leg and flips her over his shoulder, eliciting another round of delighted squeals. She lands sitting on his shoulders, laughing her little head off. "How's the view up there?"